Graphophone.



Patented Dec. M1399.

G. T. SMALLWDDD.

GRAPHPHONE.

(Application filed June 13, 1899.)

(Nu Modal.)

N1TE- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE '.r. sMALLWoon, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or; COLUMBIA,`

GRAPHOPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming pair-of Letters Patent No. 639,452, dated necembr 19, ieee.

` Application filed June 13| 139.9. 4Serial No. 720,425. (No model.)

' Tof/,ZIJ wlw/lt may con/cepu: on the Oblique face, whereby a more @Effective Be it known that I, GEORGE 'I. SMALLWOOD, shear cut is prod uced. of lVashington, District of Colum bia, have in- The invention consists, further, 1n improvevented a new and useful Improvement in ments in construction, detail, and arrange- 55 5 Graphophones, which improvement is fully ment, as may be best explained in connection set forth in the following specification. with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein-.- Thisinvention relates tographophones,and Figure 1 is an elevation, with the front of l comprises certain improvements hereinafter the easing and diaphragm removed, of a pointed out which have for their object, poeketfgraphophone embodying my inven- 6o ro mainly, the simplification of the mechanism tion.' Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the'same, for. recording and reproducing sounds and partly in elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail eleva,- the construction of efficient apparatus at tion, and Fig. 3 a detail perspective view,

small expense and in small compass. illustrating the position of the parts when the "l `The invention consists, first, in a stylus deiector beginsitsactionof lifting the stylus 65 l5 carrying arm having a translatory movement from the record in returning the same to its -across the surface of the tablet. independent starting position. Fig. 4isadetail View illusof thediaphragmorresonant body. Thiscontrating the shape of ,the record-groove and struction permits of the use of a stationary point of a recording-stylus employed t'herey diaphragm und of very light movable'parts, with. Fig. 5 'is a sectional view, partly in `7o ze minimizingthefrictionandrcsistancein feedelevation on line 5 of Fig. 6,-of a modified. ing. It is particularly useful where economy form of the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a sectional of space is desirable or where the instrument view looking to the left on line G of Fig. 5, does not always rest on a horizontal support and Fig. 7 is a detail. Fig.'8 shows a modiin use-for example, in pockct-graphophones fication of details of parts shown in .Figs.5 75' i z5 or toys of various sorts. The stylus may be and 6. Fig. 9is an elevatiompar-tly broken either a recording or a reproducing stylus. away to show ,underlying parte, of another This part .of my invention also embraces modification of the-invention; and Fig.4 `10 is means, ysuch as 'a deflector, acting to lift the a sectional' view of the same'. stylus from the record and return the saine Referringto Figs. 1, 2', 3, 3, andA 1, A isa 8o '3o to its startingpoint after it has followed the casing, preferably inthe shapeofa shallow lrecord-groove for a predetermined distance circular cup, liavingan'enlargeinent aat one or reaches the end thereof. Bidet-hereof. c ILB is a cover therefor of correi. t The invention consists,'secondly,inavsoundsponding shape, vhaving a centralaperture V record adapted specially for operation with b therein, through which the atmosphere' has 85 35 la reproducerrnounted as j ust explained. Said unrestricted access to the diaphragm; `souncl-.reeord is characterized hya'grcove of yC is azdishlsh'aped wheel piyotallysecured which one side is perpendicular (or nearly so) to the casing by a screw d andv having, gear- .to the plane of the recording-surface and the teeth around its peripheral/odg t other is oblique to said plane. This form of f -E yis a record-tablet of nnular disktlorm 9o .4o/groove facilitates the feeding of the recordmade-of any suitable materiale-such, for ex'-v ing and reprod nein g stylus. The groove may ample,as wax or a Wax-like material-having be formed preliminar-ily and the record aftera sound-record formed therein n'any suitable ward cut or engraved therein, or the groove manner. The preferred form of lrecord is," maybe eutin advance of the recording-stylus however, a groove havi/ng irregularities cor'` "95 45 by a properlyshaped tool, or records of this responding to sound-waves, and the preferred description may be made by molding or by form of groove is th ft shown in Fig. 4 of the any suitable process of copying or duplicadrawings., which has a wallclapproximately tien. Preferably the groove is formed in the perpendicular to the plane of the'surface of tablet before the record is made. The perpenthe tablet and/a wall e obiiquo to saidlplane.' xool5o dicnlar shoulder or face thereby effects the In such agroov'e the irregularitieslevatins y, feeding-of the recorder, and the record is out and depressions) correpp to sound- -3ophragm is rigidiy'secured e. post i, which in waves are formed in the inclined wall e, while f l the approximately perpendicular Wall c acts not only to impart to the reprod ucing-stylus e trenslntory movement across the record in the i '5 4Iect of reproducing, but may also import s 'similar movement to e. recording-stylnsin theA aotof recording lsounds in such n groove.

In Fig. 4,-frepresents the preferred shape of recording-stylus pointfor use with a groove to, having the characteristics nbovc mentioned.` The vertical edge f of the stylus concis with ,wall e of the groove to canse the siius to fdllow the latter, while the rounded edge f2 acts to cut or engrave the record of sound in x 5 the wall e' in the form of irregularities or elevations and depressions. The record-tablet E fits closely within the dished wheel C und ie rotated therewith by frictionel contact.

G isa. short shaft having bearings in' the zo casing A end cover B and carrying s. gear- -wheel g, located in enlsrgementa and which meshes with the teeth of wheel C.

Shaft G may be rotated by a, crank g' to drive the gear-wheel g and in turn rotate the z5 wheel C and with it the record-tablet.

. H is a diaphragm of suitable construction secured tothe inside of the cover over the' opening b by any suitable means, as by en snnulus h, Fig. 2. To the center of the dieturn has e. bur k rigidly fixed to its outer end. The bar k is preferably of nrc shspe, as shown in Fig. 1.

L is the stylus-carrying erm, pivoted to the 5 under side of cover B nt 1.'its outer end being free to swing across the record-tablet from the outer edge towsrd the center thereof', or vice versa, end-to trnvel along endl in close contact with the ber 4o fr fm is the stylus-point, (which, lAlthough it, as shown in the drawings, is more particularly intended to illustrate the point of n. reproducer, may obviously be the point of e, recorder,) carried by the arm L. At its extremity arm' L is bent in the form of n hook I'. (See Figs.4 2, 3, and 3%) N is u metallic deiiector-piute securedetits outer ,edge to the wheel C and bent under et its inner edge along the line of an arc, forming a flange n, which hns et its opposite extremities'downwardly-turned lips n' und n?. In operation, assuming that the apparatus is being used to reproduce from n. 'tablet in which a sound-record has been formed in 'n groove represented by thespir'el line Figs. 1 and 3, the stylus-point is engaged with the groove near the outer 'end thereof and crank gis manipulated to rotate the record-tahlet in' the direction indicnted by `the arrow, Fig. 1'. 1n its movement' the groove inthe tnblet imparts to the stylus-point nud erm L n treneiatory movement toward the center of the record-disk, erm L swinging on its pivot l. During such movement the irregularities in the grooyeor record corresponding to soundwaves, impart corresponding vibratory moveswings the ,engages closely about (although ments to the stylus-pointez, from which ese/iss they are duly transmitted vto the diaphragm through the arm L and bnr R. During the greater part ot' the tra-vel of the stylus-car- 7c rying arm L from the outer end of the recordgroove toward the center thereof the deflector-piztte N pnsses freely over the hook Ai' at the extremity thereof; but when such erm nears the limit of its in wurd movement, as 75 shown in Figs. 3 and 3, said book'l' is brought to such position that in the movement of the deiector-plnte N the lip n' eng-egcs therewith and by reeson of its inclination lifts the end of erin L, and withit the stylus-point m,from 8o engagement with the record-groove .L-v. Conlinued movement of lthe deilector-plnte/N causes the hook Z' to travel along the fiange n, the curvature oi which et the same time free end ot' :trui L on its pivot 85 sway from the center-of the record-tablet until the hook nully rides down the lip n and is dropped gently into engagement with the record-groove nearthe outer end thereof. The stylus and arm carrying the same are 9o thus automatically returned t-o their starting position.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown :t modifica.- tion wherein the bar o, rigidly attached to the diaphragm through posto', is securedat 95 one end at p to the under side of the cover, while its other extremity is in position to be engaged by en inclined lngr on n slide k'. (See Figs'. 6 and 7.) Slide is carried .by t-he cover B and is adapted to be manipulated. Arco by pushing on lug s, located on the outside of 'the cover and connected to the slide by e pin s', passing through n slot s2 in the dange of the cover. T is the arm carrying stylusp point #,-said arm being pivoted to the under x05 side of cover B and having nu eer t' thereon in position'to be engaged by the end of slide r ns the letter is moved to the left,'Fig. 6.

As clearly shown iu Fig. 5, the outer end of erm T is bent in the form of a, hook t and ncmovable along) bar o, so that th'e vibrations of the stylus-pointure accurately transmitted to the diaphragm in the ect otl reproducing, (and, vice'verse, the stylus-point reaches the inner end of the record-groove, the slide 1- is mnnipuleted. In the movement of theslide the inclined lug q iirst comes into notion to lift the free end of bar o, und with it the stylus-point, from enizo gagement with the record-tablet. After this hns been eii'ected the end of the slide comes into contact with the eer t' on arm T, swinging the latter on its pivot so that its free end is moved to the outer edge of the record-ta,b r2 5 let, its stylus-point being, of course, still held out of contact-with the tablet. Movement of the slide r to the right' now lowers the stylus,/" so that it again makes contact with the record-tablet.

VInstead of the inclined lug q on slide r. 'I muy cnt an inclined slot r' therein und lproject the end o2 of bnr o into said slot, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

inthe not of recording.) When m5` modificatiom.

9 and 10 I have shown another wherein V is a triangularlyshaped frame pivoted at the point 'v of one of the angles to the diaphragm H, atthe point of another angle carrying stylus-point w, and at the point of its third angle carrying a roller y.; which bears against and travels over the diaphragm from the center toward the outer edgethereo as the stylus-point and frame are given a translatory movement on pivot r In Figs.L

i by the spiral record-groove in the tablet.

My invention is not, of course, limited to the precise construction herein shown and described, being in its Iof embodiment in other broad features capable forms of apparatus for recording and reproducing sound.

y V1. In apparatus for recording and reproducing sound the combination with a stationary diaphragm or resonant body, and .a record-tablet, of a stylus acting in conjunction with the record-tablet, and an arm carrying said stylus free to have a translator-y y movement across thesurfacc of the tablet while in contact therewith and independently ofthe diaphragm and adapted to transmit bctween the da hragm and stylus vibratory y movements corresponding to sound-waves.

2. In a graphophone, the combination with astationary diaphragm or resonantbody, and

a record-tablet, of a stylus acting in conjunction with the record-tablet, an arm carrying said stylus Lfree to have a translatory movement Iacross the surface of the `tablet while in contact therewith, and independently of the diaphragm, and a bar rigidly secured to along and in close contact with which the stylns-carrying arm travels in its translatory movement.

3. In a graphophone, the combination with Aa stationary diaphragm or resonant body, of

a record-tabletand means for moving the same, a stylus acting in conjunction with the record-tablet, an arm carrying said stylus fi'ee to` have a translatory movement across the surface of the tablet while in contact therewith and adapted to transmit between the diaphragm and stylus vbratory movements corresponding to sound-waves.

4. In a graphophone, the combination with .afixed or stationary diaphragm or resonant body, of a record-tablet and meansfor movi ng the same, a stylus acting in conjunction with therecordwablet, an arm carrying said stylus free to have a translatory movement across the su rface of the tablet while in contact therewith, a bar rigidly secured to the diaphragm.

and along and in close contact with which the stylus-carrying arm travels in its translatory movement.

5. In a graphophone, the combination with a stationary diaphragm or resonant body, of

a stylus acting in conjunction with a record-7 tablet, an arm carrying saidstylus free toA movement/across the reccontact therewith, but indiaphragm, mean's acting have a translatory ord-tablet while in dependen tly of the Va stationary diaphragm 'phmsm in conjunction with the diaphragmanrl arm sponding to soundwaves from one to. the other, anda device for returning said stylus?` carrying arm toits starting position.

6. In a graphophone, the combination with or resonant body, of

a stylus acting in conjunction with a recordtablet, an arm carrying said stylus free to have a translator-y .movement across the record-tablet while in contact therewith, bnt in-` dependently of the diaphragm, means acting in conjunction with the diaphragm and a'rrn f for transmitting vibratorymovements corre-v sponding to sound-waves from one to the; other, anda device acting to rst lift the sty-lv lus-carrying arm to disengage the stylus fromiy contact with the recordtabletand then to reif" turn said arm to its starting position. 7. In a graphophone, the combination witI a stationary diaphragm or a stylus acting in conjunction with a recordtablet, an arm carrying said stylus free to have a vtranslatory movement across the record-tablet while in contact therewith, but independently of the diaphragm, means acting in conjunction withthe diaphragm and arm for transmitting vibratory movements corresponding to sound-waves from one to the other, and means acting automatically toreturn said stylus-carrying arm to its starting resonant body, oid` position after it has traveled a predetermined g distance. .8. In a graphophone, the combination with a diaphragm or resonant body, of astylus acting in conjunction with a record-tablet, an arm carrying said stylus free to have a trans latory movement across the record-tablet while in contact therewith, but independently of the diaphragm, means acting in conjunction with the diaphragm and arm for transmitting vibratory movements corresponding to sound-waves from one to the other', and means acting automatically to first lift the i stylus-carrying arm to disengage the stylus IKC from contact with the record and then to return said arm to its starting position.

9. In a graphophone, the combination with a stationary diaphragm, of a record-tablet and means for moving the same, a stylus act-1 ing in conjunction with the recordtablet,"an arm carrying said stylus free to `,have a translatory movement across theurface of' the record tablet independently of the dilam'eans acting in conjunction with theA diaphragnnand stylus-carryingarm for trans mitting vibratory movement corresponding to sound-waves between the two, and a defiector movable with the record-tablet acting' automatically to lift the styluscarrying arm .to disengage the stylus from\ the record and to return said arm toits starting position. 10. In a graphophone the combination with a record-tablet and means forsupporting and moving the same, of'a fixed or stationary diaphragm, a bar attached rigidly to the diza-` phragm, a stylus acting in conjunction with i /f I/ Iso the record-tablet, a pivoted arm resting at its free end iu close 'cont-act with and adapted te travel along the bar as the Stylus is given a translatory movement over the record-tablet.

1l, In a. graphophone the combination with a disk-shaped record-tablet, and means for supporting and rotating the same, of a sta- Moriarty-.diaphragm flatface of the record-tablet, a stylus acting in conjunction with the record-tablet, and a stylus-carrying arm free to have a translatory movement over the surface ofthe record-tab let whileincontacttherewith and between the same and the diaphragm and independently of the latter, and means for transmitting vibratory movements corresponding to soundy Waves between the stylus-carryingarm and diaphragm. 12. In agraphophoneahecombination with a stationary diaphragm, of a tablet having a record-groove thei'ein, a stylus-carrying arm adapted to have' a translatory movement across the tablet independently of the diaphragm, a stylus on said arm coaoting with tberecord-grove and imparting said translatory movement to the stylus-carryin g arm, and means for transmitting vibratory movement between the stylus and stylus-carrying arm and the diaphragm irrespective ot' the translator-y movement of said stylus and arm. 13. In a graphophone,the combination with a stationary diaphragm', of a wheel or carrier, a disk-shaped record-tablet supported and movable with said carrier, of a stylus coacting withthe record-tablet, an arm carrying said stylus free to have a translatory movement over the record-tablet whilein contact therewith and between the same and the diaphragm but independently of the latter,naeaiis arranged paralisil to the for transmittingvibratory movements be- 4o tween the stylus-carrying arm and the diaphragm during the translatory movement of the former, and a flat casing inclosing all of said parts.

14. In a graphophone,the combination with a two-part inolosing casing, of a record-earryng geanwlieel mounted in one part, means for rotating-the seme, and a record-disk carried by and movable with said-gear-wheel, of a stationary diaphragm mounted in the other part of the casing, a stylus-carrying arm pivotd to said other part, and being free at one end to have. a translatory movement ovel the record-disk,y while in contact therewith, but independently of the diaphragm, a stylus carried by the arm coactngwith the record-disk, and means for transmitting between the diaphragm and stylus-carrying arm movements corresponding to sound-waves.

15. A graphophone-tabletor other solid body for receiving sound records, having therein a groove whereof one side is approximately perpendicular to the surface of the tablet and the other side oblique thereto.

1.6. The combination with a recording-tablet having a groove whereof one face is approximately perpendicular to the surface, of a recording swinging arm, and adapted to be fed across the tablet by the engagement of said stylus with said grooveA In testimony whereof l have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

G. T. lSMALLWOOD. lVitnesses: i Reeve LEWIS,

W. B. KERKAM.

stylus mounted on a freely-y 

